Report calls for health care boost for elderly

MEPS are next week expected to call on EU governments to do more to tackle shortcomings in health care provision in member states.

European Voice

3/3/04, 5:00 PM CET

Updated 4/12/14, 9:49 AM CET

Centrepiece of a key report to be discussed on Thursday (11 March) is a demand for measures to improve long-term care for the elderly.

The report, by German Socialist MEP Karin Jöns, urges the member states to integrate health care for the elderly more effectively with each other, lay down appropriate standards for home care and improve access for old people to rehabilitation, physiotherapy and other health services.

The report requires action to tackle “excessive” hospital waiting lists and a growing shortage of medical professionals and states efforts have to be taken to improve the quality of health professional jobs and make them more attractive for would-be entrants.

Turning to the upcoming expansion of the EU, the report requires that member states should provide the same standards of quality of work, qualification and remuneration “when recruiting medical and caring staff from new member states”.

Meanwhile, a new intergroup will be set up next week in Strasbourg to tackle a “disturbing” gender imbalance in Parliament.

At present, only one of the assembly’s eight top-ranking directors- general is female – Italian Francesca Ratti was appointed DG for information on 1 January.

By contrast, an estimated 70% of Parliament’s secretaries are women.

President Pat Cox is expected to announce the establishment of the group designed to address the issue of gender equality on Monday (8 March), to coincide with International Women’s Day.